Five Years After Floods, Trooz Residents Await Protection: "Politics Must Wake Up"

Five years on from the devastating floods that ravaged the Vesdre Valley, many residents in Trooz, Belgium, are still waiting for tangible protection against a repeat disaster. The lingering unease is palpable in one of the hardest-hit municipalities, where the scars of the 2020 event remain fresh.

Anne-Françoise Dengis, who was the emergency plan coordinator for Soumagne, northeast of Trooz, during the floods, recalls the powerlessness she felt. Despite advising an evacuation as the Magne river began to rise ominously, the order was never given by the mayor or governor. While Soumagne's center flooded, thankfully, no lives were lost there. The Civil Protection and army only arrived days later.

Fabienne Frisée and her husband Luigi Nassisi, whose home is situated a few meters above the river, experienced the nightmare firsthand. Their ground floor and a wide passage behind their home were completely submerged. They recall hearing firefighters mention an evacuation, but it never materialized for Trooz. "I still hear them say that the dams of Eupen and La Gileppe would be opened around 5 p.m. and the municipality evacuated. But there was no evacuation of Trooz," Fabienne remembers. The water rose rapidly, and the electricity failed. Luigi assisted Belgian and French firefighters in navigating the flooded streets, while Fabienne helped children rescued by volunteers on jet skis at a shelter. The couple vividly remembers the deafening roar of the water and the sound of large objects crashing against bridges. The aftermath left 11 kilometers of riverbanks destroyed and the homes of 4,000 residents damaged. Despite the passage of time, the community's call for action remains urgent, with residents demanding that politicians "wake up" to the ongoing threat.

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I still hear them say that the dams of Eupen and La Gileppe would be opened around 5 p.m. and the municipality evacuated. But there was no evacuation of Trooz.